Tehseen Poonawalla claims house arrest ahead of E20 protest, targets Gadkari
Activist Tehseen Poonawalla, who announced a protest march to Gandhi Smriti and a hunger strike over the E20 fuel policy, claimed he was put under house arrest by the Delhi Police on Saturday.
Activist Tehseen Poonawalla claimed that he was put under house arrest by Delhi Police ahead of his protest march and hunger strike against the government's E20 petrol policy. Poonawalla, who has launched a crusade against Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and ethanol-blended fuel, put out several videos showing cops at his doorstep on Saturday.
"An entire battalion of Delhi Police, including women officers, has put me under house arrest! Nitin Gadkari is scared of ethanol," Poonawalla tweeted. In another video, the activist is seen asking a police officer how he could be detained without any documents.
"No papers, nothing. I am under house arrest... Azaadi ke 15 din pehle aap mujhe detain kar rahe (you are detaining me 15 days before Independence Day)," Poonawalla is heard telling the cop.
To this, the police officer said his protest might create a law and order situation as he had announced his march in advance. "Thousands of people might come out to join you," the cop is heard saying.
Poonawalla also claimed that one cop told him he was a "great human being" but orders had come "from the top" to place him under house arrest.
E20 FUEL EMERGES AS NEXT BIG FLASHPOINT
Poonawalla announced on Friday that he would undertake a "solo" walk to Gandhi Smriti, observe a silent protest, and launch a hunger strike against the policy. The announcement came in the wake of permission being denied for his 'Gaadi March' to Parliament on July 31.
In another post, Poonawalla said all he wanted was to observe a "maun vrat" and a peaceful one-day hunger strike.
"Almost as if I am a terrorist... My Instagram account was suspended! I was abused! Now house arrested!" he said.
Following the Cockroach Janta Party's month-long protest over exam paper leaks, which resulted in the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Poonawalla has sought to tap into the growing public frustration with E20 petrol.
The government's rollout of E20 petrol - a blend of 80% petrol and 20% ethanol - has come under intense criticism from opposition parties and consumer groups.
Several vehicle owners (pre-2023) have claimed E20 has resulted in a reduction in mileage and higher maintenance costs.
While Union Minister Nitin Gadkari admitted that E20 can reduce fuel efficiency by 2-6%, he asserted that extensive testing found no evidence of engine failures linked to the fuel. In a written reply in Parliament, Gadkari emphasised that E20 offered improved acceleration and 30% lower carbon emissions than E10 fuel.
A key demand by Poonawalla and his Team Bharat, which has been spearheading the anti-E20 cause, is that 100% petrol, E5, and E10 fuels should be available as well, giving motorists the right to choose.
This was communicated to Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri during a meeting with Team Bharat representatives on Wednesday. However, the minister did not give any assurances.
Poonawalla, who led the first on-ground protest against E20 on July 5, had initially announced a 'Gaadi March' near Parliament Street on July 31. The Delhi Taxi and Transport Owners and Tour Operators Association also lent its weight to the march.
However, it was called off after no permission was granted, fearing a re-run of the July 20 violence during the students' march. Poonawalla also claimed his Instagram account was briefly suspended.
On Friday, Poonawalla announced his solo protest, dubbing it as a 'March for Awaaz Ki Azaadi'. However, before he could head out, Delhi Police landed at his doorstep. Poonawalla's next steps remain to be seen.
Activist Tehseen Poonawalla claimed that he was put under house arrest by Delhi Police ahead of his protest march and hunger strike against the government's E20 petrol policy. Poonawalla, who has launched a crusade against Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and ethanol-blended fuel, put out several videos showing cops at his doorstep on Saturday.
"An entire battalion of Delhi Police, including women officers, has put me under house arrest! Nitin Gadkari is scared of ethanol," Poonawalla tweeted. In another video, the activist is seen asking a police officer how he could be detained without any documents.
"No papers, nothing. I am under house arrest... Azaadi ke 15 din pehle aap mujhe detain kar rahe (you are detaining me 15 days before Independence Day)," Poonawalla is heard telling the cop.
To this, the police officer said his protest might create a law and order situation as he had announced his march in advance. "Thousands of people might come out to join you," the cop is heard saying.
Poonawalla also claimed that one cop told him he was a "great human being" but orders had come "from the top" to place him under house arrest.
E20 FUEL EMERGES AS NEXT BIG FLASHPOINT
Poonawalla announced on Friday that he would undertake a "solo" walk to Gandhi Smriti, observe a silent protest, and launch a hunger strike against the policy. The announcement came in the wake of permission being denied for his 'Gaadi March' to Parliament on July 31.
In another post, Poonawalla said all he wanted was to observe a "maun vrat" and a peaceful one-day hunger strike.
"Almost as if I am a terrorist... My Instagram account was suspended! I was abused! Now house arrested!" he said.
Following the Cockroach Janta Party's month-long protest over exam paper leaks, which resulted in the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Poonawalla has sought to tap into the growing public frustration with E20 petrol.
The government's rollout of E20 petrol - a blend of 80% petrol and 20% ethanol - has come under intense criticism from opposition parties and consumer groups.
Several vehicle owners (pre-2023) have claimed E20 has resulted in a reduction in mileage and higher maintenance costs.
While Union Minister Nitin Gadkari admitted that E20 can reduce fuel efficiency by 2-6%, he asserted that extensive testing found no evidence of engine failures linked to the fuel. In a written reply in Parliament, Gadkari emphasised that E20 offered improved acceleration and 30% lower carbon emissions than E10 fuel.
A key demand by Poonawalla and his Team Bharat, which has been spearheading the anti-E20 cause, is that 100% petrol, E5, and E10 fuels should be available as well, giving motorists the right to choose.
This was communicated to Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri during a meeting with Team Bharat representatives on Wednesday. However, the minister did not give any assurances.
Poonawalla, who led the first on-ground protest against E20 on July 5, had initially announced a 'Gaadi March' near Parliament Street on July 31. The Delhi Taxi and Transport Owners and Tour Operators Association also lent its weight to the march.
However, it was called off after no permission was granted, fearing a re-run of the July 20 violence during the students' march. Poonawalla also claimed his Instagram account was briefly suspended.
On Friday, Poonawalla announced his solo protest, dubbing it as a 'March for Awaaz Ki Azaadi'. However, before he could head out, Delhi Police landed at his doorstep. Poonawalla's next steps remain to be seen.
Activist Tehseen Poonawalla claimed that he was put under house arrest by Delhi Police ahead of his protest march and hunger strike against the government's E20 petrol policy. Poonawalla, who has launched a crusade against Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and ethanol-blended fuel, put out several videos showing cops at his doorstep on Saturday.
"An entire battalion of Delhi Police, including women officers, has put me under house arrest! Nitin Gadkari is scared of ethanol," Poonawalla tweeted. In another video, the activist is seen asking a police officer how he could be detained without any documents.
"No papers, nothing. I am under house arrest... Azaadi ke 15 din pehle aap mujhe detain kar rahe (you are detaining me 15 days before Independence Day)," Poonawalla is heard telling the cop.
To this, the police officer said his protest might create a law and order situation as he had announced his march in advance. "Thousands of people might come out to join you," the cop is heard saying.
Poonawalla also claimed that one cop told him he was a "great human being" but orders had come "from the top" to place him under house arrest.
E20 FUEL EMERGES AS NEXT BIG FLASHPOINT
Poonawalla announced on Friday that he would undertake a "solo" walk to Gandhi Smriti, observe a silent protest, and launch a hunger strike against the policy. The announcement came in the wake of permission being denied for his 'Gaadi March' to Parliament on July 31.
In another post, Poonawalla said all he wanted was to observe a "maun vrat" and a peaceful one-day hunger strike.
"Almost as if I am a terrorist... My Instagram account was suspended! I was abused! Now house arrested!" he said.
Following the Cockroach Janta Party's month-long protest over exam paper leaks, which resulted in the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Poonawalla has sought to tap into the growing public frustration with E20 petrol.
The government's rollout of E20 petrol - a blend of 80% petrol and 20% ethanol - has come under intense criticism from opposition parties and consumer groups.
Several vehicle owners (pre-2023) have claimed E20 has resulted in a reduction in mileage and higher maintenance costs.
While Union Minister Nitin Gadkari admitted that E20 can reduce fuel efficiency by 2-6%, he asserted that extensive testing found no evidence of engine failures linked to the fuel. In a written reply in Parliament, Gadkari emphasised that E20 offered improved acceleration and 30% lower carbon emissions than E10 fuel.
A key demand by Poonawalla and his Team Bharat, which has been spearheading the anti-E20 cause, is that 100% petrol, E5, and E10 fuels should be available as well, giving motorists the right to choose.
This was communicated to Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri during a meeting with Team Bharat representatives on Wednesday. However, the minister did not give any assurances.
Poonawalla, who led the first on-ground protest against E20 on July 5, had initially announced a 'Gaadi March' near Parliament Street on July 31. The Delhi Taxi and Transport Owners and Tour Operators Association also lent its weight to the march.
However, it was called off after no permission was granted, fearing a re-run of the July 20 violence during the students' march. Poonawalla also claimed his Instagram account was briefly suspended.
On Friday, Poonawalla announced his solo protest, dubbing it as a 'March for Awaaz Ki Azaadi'. However, before he could head out, Delhi Police landed at his doorstep. Poonawalla's next steps remain to be seen.
